Lost another alternator.

[Terry Posten]

At idle I have 11.8v and at 3K I have 12.8 and it is jumping up and down.

Looks like I get to install the new unit I have sitting on my shelf.

I went to take a Mustang GT off the line and I revved it and started to engage the clutch quickly and she just fell on its face. Looked around and the gauge was reading below 12v and decided to take her home and get the RA out.

So I beat the crap out of the RA for an hour. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[jclaw]

We should start a thread where everytime one of us has to replace an alternator we scan in the reciept as an attempt to record the insane amount of alternators we vr4 owners buy. Maybe it would convince one of the manufacturers to give us a collective discount (or just make an alternator that holds up).

 

[turbowop]

I'm going to purchase some flexible ducting tomorrow in an attempt to make some type of cooling duct for my new alternator.

 

[Olson]

i buy alternates with warranty .

i kinda feel sorry for the ra getting beat for no good reason lol dont take your anger out on it jerk!

 

[nrvous]

I was on the "alternator a year" plan until I relocated it to the A/C location. I did get pretty quick at changing them, and always carried a spare, which is pretty sad.

stephen

 

[NateCrisman]

Quoting nrvous:
I was on the "alternator a year" plan until I relocated it to the A/C location. I did get pretty quick at changing them, and always carried a spare, which is pretty sad.

stephen



I did the same, I hope to never have to replace a mitsu alt again in my vr4.

 

[Terry Posten]

I wont have a car without AC. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

I finished her up. 3 hours, start to finish. Would have been quicker but I was being extra careful with the new paint.

I had to remove the d-side headlight to get the IC pipe off, removed steering pump and bracket, top front mount, and the alt came right up and out. I think the TEL steering fluid res helped with room. Grabbed the new unit off the shelf and got her all buttoned up.

After dinner I took the old unit back to Autozone and swap it out for a new one. Stuck that on the shelf for the next time.

 

[CarRacer]

What kind of o2 housing are you running? I'd consider checking out summit for a sheet of heat insulation material. Mount that to a small piece of flat metal and bolt that between the alternator and exhaust. I think you'd see a little longer life out of your alternator, especially with the heat big turbos put such as yours. I'd also reccomend not to only use a piece of metal. That's what I did and on long drives the radiant heat still heats up the shield to the same temperature as the exhaust. I'm going to add a piece of that heat resistant stuff to my shield to combat that.

The cost of the materials is worth the time and hassle of dicking around replacing an alternator imo.

 

OMG i thought that i was the only one having alternator problems.
good to know others are suffering as much as i am.

any tips /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[mistaVR4]

Yeah man your not alone, I've been through many, do a little search and you'll see /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif Also, the above post's list 3 "tips" on how to help with the problem. Relocate it, shield it, or experiment with ducting...

 

[Terry Posten]

Or just replace each year.

 

[mistaVR4]

Yeah forgot that one also, when I actually had my car on the road for 2.5 consistent years with no JSB, I couldn't do 6mo without a replacement. I really didn't want to ditch the A/C, but I did, and went with Jays relocation kit, can't wait to see what difference in Alt life I get /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[jclaw]

I noticed that the recommended alt for the 1st gen alt and the gvr4 alt are different. Is that why we go through so many, because we assume they are the same and the 1st gen ones can't cope?

 

[turbowop]

No, the only difference is the amp output. 1g DSM's are 75amp and gvr4's are 90amp. Neither can deal with the heat.

 

[jepherz]

I don't think I would be caught dead putting a crap alternator in either of my cars /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/idea.gif

 

[SmoothCustomer]

Well I have said it before and I will say it again, I bought a remanufactured mitsubishi one for less than $100 that has a lifetime warranty.

 

[2of9]

Quoting Terry Posten:
At idle I have 11.8v and at 3K I have 12.8 and it is jumping up and down.

Looks like I get to install the new unit I have sitting on my shelf.

I went to take a Mustang GT off the line and I revved it and started to engage the clutch quickly and she just fell on its face. Looked around and the gauge was reading below 12v and decided to take her home and get the RA out.

So I beat the crap out of the RA for an hour. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif



damn...what a coincidence...*sighs*

my alty also may be goin bad on me. my volt gauge was doing the saaaame thing. damn 75 alty...luckly this is on warranty. Oh yeah...did i mention it's also an auto dsm 1g reman? ...like it matters with alllll that heat.

EDIT: I have been taking 1-2 hr cruises with the Galant this past weekend with 1-2 minutes of idle to cool off. If this alty goes bad...it'll be the THIRD i've gone through in the 2 years i've owned it...i love life time warranty though /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[Hertz]

Please, all you guys touting the "lifetime warranty" must not put very many miles on your cars. It means almost NOTHING because I promise you it won't last significantly longer than any other alternator. It just means that they'll reman it with the same crappy $1 voltage regulator.

I had good luck with a heat shield. Yes, it does get hot, CarRacer, but these are mostly to reflect radiant heat. I think that ducting is a good alternative or perhaps an alternator with a better cooling fan in (or on) it.

 

[turbowop]

I feel better about my Bosch lifetime warranty than I would an Autozone one. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/dunno.gif

I think I'm going to fabricate a small heatshield, but then have it thermal coated or use some expensive heat reflecting tape that actually works. I'll add a cooling duct as well for good measure.

 

[CarRacer]

How's this for heat reflective tape? It's good enough for NASA, it should be good enough for 1051.